Year: 2025

Imagine a material made by mixing five different metal elements equally—magnesium, copper, nickel, cobalt, and zinc. Because of this mix, each oxygen atom in the material “sees” a different neighborhood of metal atoms around it. This complex mixture is called a high entropy oxide (HEO). Now, oxygen atoms can sometimes leave their spots and create […]

Scientists are always looking for new ways to measure materials, especially when they are very small. In their 2025 paper, “Using magnetic torque for characterization of flexural rigidity of microfibers,” Dr. Artis Brasovs and Dr. Konstantin G. Kornev describe a clever new method for testing the stiffness of microfibers. Flexural rigidity is how much a […]

Congratulations to Dr. Raj Bordia on being named Honorary Fellow of the 2025 ECerS (European Ceramic Society). This prestigious honor recognizes his significant contribution to the field of ceramics.

Imagine tiny whirlpools of electricity—miniature swirls inside materials no wider than a virus. That’s what scientists are studying now, and they’re called dipolar skyrmions. In a brief, exciting article titled “A tug-of-war recipe for nanoscale swirls”, MSE Professor Petro Maksymovych explains how a clever balance between two electric states creates these fascinating patterns (Maksymovych, 2025). […]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is getting more powerful, but it also uses a lot of electricity. Researchers at Clemson University have made a new material, called pTPADTP, that could help cut down on AI’s energy use. Dr. Stephen Foulger, a professor in Materials Science & Engineering at Clemson, said: “The new material, pTPADTP, is a polymer […]

Curious about how materials shaped human history and continue to power our future? The Department of Materials Science & Engineering invites you to explore a fascinating new YouTube channel by Dr. D.P. Aidhy. From bronze swords and Roman cement to silicon chips and bioengineered tissues, Dr. Aidhy unpacks the pivotal role materials have played in […]

For decades, scientists have relied on borosilicate glass to immobilize radioactive waste, a method selected by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as early as 1982 for its stability and long-term effectiveness. Until recently, much of the experimental data behind this approach remained scattered across institutional archives and technical reports. That changed in 2019, when […]

A new wave of energy is sparking in Clemson University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, thanks to two Ph.D. candidates who are determined to bring graduate students closer together. Kristin Chapman and Carolyn Feigeles are leading the charge as co-presidents of the brand-new Graduate Association of Materials Engineering and Science (GAMES). Their mission? To […]

MRS/Optica held the 17th Annual Poster competition on April 17th at the Watt Center. The winners of the competition are: Graduate 1st Place: Arabella Hunter Graduate 2nd Place: Franchesca Hauck Graduate 3rd Place: Nathan Linton Undergraduate 1st Place: Megan Bishoff Undergraduate 2nd Place: Megan Williams

The MSE External Advisory Board met on April 17th. During their visit, they took a tour of AMIC, attended the MSE Colloquium, where EAB member Dr. Barry Carter presented a seminar, and served as judges for the 17th Annual MRS/Optica Poster Competition. We appreciate all the board members do for the department.

Congratulations to Nyx Mashkow for winning a Goldwater Scholarship! To read more about Nyx and the Goldwater Scholarship click here.

Dr. Amoroso delivered a seminar in Chemistry entitled ” Engineering Materials to Endure for Millennia in the Earth’s Crust”. Dr. Amoroso holds a joint appointment with MSE and serves as a glass and engineering scientist at the Savannah River National Laboratory. To read more about Dr. Amoroso and his joint appointment click here.

MSE Adjunct Professor Dr. Talia Sebastian delivered a special seminar in MSE, “Achieving Military Readiness through Strategic Research Partnerships”. Dr. Talia Marie Sebastian currently serves as the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellow, where she advances GVSC’s strategic research priorities by facilitating joint research […]

Dr. Mark Johnson was elected as one of five faculty members chosen to represent the College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences as the newest faculty senators. To read more about Dr. Johnson click here.

MSE congratulates Dr. Cheng Sun for being awarded the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This is the highest U.S. government honor. Dr. Sun is an assistant professor with a joint mechanical engineering and materials science & engineering appointment. To read more about Dr. Sun and this prestigious award, click here.